ATTORNEY FOR NNAMDI KANU RESPONDS TO SUPREME COURT DECISION REGARDING IPOB LEADER

Babatunji Wusu –

Kanu Agabi, the attorney for Nnamdi Kanu, the embattled leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has stated that his client still has hope.

Speaking to reporters just after the Supreme Court’s decision on Friday, Agabi stated that even though some time has passed and they had anticipated his client’s liberation, they must go back.

The Court of Appeal’s ruling clearing IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu of all charges of treason was overturned by the Supreme Court on Friday. Justice Garba Mohammed wrote the decision, which Justice Emmanuel Agim read.

The supreme court ruled that even though he was forcibly returned to Nigeria from Kenya after he violated his bail conditions, the trial court was still entitled to proceed with his trial.

In a unanimous ruling, the five-member Justice panel recognized that the federal government had behaved “irresponsibly” when it forcibly returned Kanu to the United States from Kenya, in violation of all existing legal provisions.

But it decided that merely stripping the trial court of its authority was insufficient to allow the case to proceed.

In response, Kanu’s attorney expressed hope that his client would ultimately receive justice because the matter would go back to the top court.

“We had hoped that it would come our way but it has gone the other way. It simply means that we have to go back to the high court and get done with this quickly.

“We still have hope. We are not in despair. We lost a little time, and we have to go back. That is what it means”, he said.

He also expressed satisfaction with the part of the judgement by the apex court on Kanu’s bail.

“But I’m very consoled with what the Supreme Court said.

“The court said Kanu ought not to have been treated the way he was treated. The court said his bail ought not to have been revoked and his house ought not to have been invaded. So we have hope”, he added.